Tuesday Storytime: Scaly Shenanigans

A fun trio of books featuring alligators, dragons, and dinosaurs, selected by my coworker.

Gator Dad
Brian Lies
Celebrates an anthropomorphic gator dad and his kids having a delightful summery "do nothing" sort of day, where somehow an awful lot of things get done, and memories get made. Really suprisingly sweet and innocent and wholesome-hearted.

Me and My Dragon
David Biedrzycki
A boy and his dragon go to the beach, where lots of things get all messed up, and of course it is always the dragon's fault. The shame-faced dragon reforms when things go a little bit too far, and peace is restored... or is it?

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur
Linda Bailey, illustrated by Colin Jack
This is a very helpful how-to book on what you can do to keep your particular type of dragon happy and employed, or at least occupied, in a manner that suits both the dragon and you. There are dragons that like to blow leaves around, and ones who love to vaccuum, and ones who will scare away the neighborhood bullies, or conveniently eat your homework for you! Cute and tongue firmly in cheek.

Tuesday Storytime: Zoo Animals

Last week's storytime books were selected by my coworker, and they're a riot of wild animal fun.

1 Zany Zoo
Lori Degman, illustrated by Colin Jack
ISBN: 9781416989905
As one kid slips from the school field trip line into a secret gate into the zoo, he's witness to some wild and wacky shenanigans that his schoolmates will NEVER believe. A counting book with some zing to it.

Hilda Must Be Dancing
Karma Wilson, illustrated by Suzanne Watts
ISBN: 9780689847882
When the jungle thumps and bumps and things fall from the trees, it must be because Hilda is dancing. She loves dancing, but the jungle animals would really like some peace and stillness. All is well when the rambunctious hippo is introduced to water ballet.

Never, EVER Shout in a Zoo
Karma Wilson, Doug Cushman
ISBN: 0316985643
If You Give A Mouse A Muffin meets If I Ran the Zoo, with zany consequences and fun rattle-trap sentences.

Tuesday Storytime: Scaly Friends

This is the second set of picks from our trainee, and these are all very cute. They acknowledged that they'd possibly do better to split them up into different themes for each type of scaly friend (we have alligators, dragons, and dinosaurs represented) but that they liked them and liked the thought of doing two of their own sets of picks in a row. These DID end up a little on the long side all matched together, but not insurmountably so, and they noticed that as well, so a good training experience all around.

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur
Linda Bailey, illustrated by Colin Jack
ISBN: 9781770495685
Very bright dinosaurs in otherwise mundane environments, getting used for all sorts of chores or tasks. The idea is very Flintstones, but the execution is closer to Family Guy. EXCELLENT facial expressions all around, and funny page-spreads of visual jokes.

Gator Dad
Brian Lies
ISBN: 9780544534339
Gator Dad is taking his kids out for a day of adventures. Slightly smaltzy but saved by the protagonists being alligators, and by a series of misadventures along the way. Beautiful artwork, but a little bit on the dark side (visually speaking).

Me and My Dragon
David Biedrzycki
ISBN: 9781580892780
I've done this one recently, but it was far enough back that I felt ok with it being used again. Love the ambiguity of the protagonist kid (brownish and with floppy hair) and the mundane chores of pet-ownership filtered through the prism of a baby dragon. Useful lessons in a cute package.